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Following a memo sent out by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell last week regarding any teams poised to move to Los Angeles, the conversations about which club would make that trek fired up again. Of course the San Diego Chargers and their current stadium dilemma remains an issue which makes the Bolts one of the prime candidates to make the move northward.

While some feel that the St. Louis Rams and their current stadium arbitration along with an expiring lease in two years puts them in the driver’s seat, the league may still be determined to put two teams in the city of angels over the coming years. Goodell’s memo stated that any team considering the move must file a relocation application between January 1 and February 15 of 2013. That means that fans of any teams currently in location limbo will soon have an answer as to just how long their hometown club may stay that way.

The man at the center of attention for the Chargers’ side of this discussion has been Bolts’ special counsel Mark Fabiani and he did a radio interview to entertain these ideas recently. According to that conversation, Fabiani said: "No. We are not planning on it, and obviously I'm not a fortune teller, I can't see into the future, but I would be very surprised if we were filing out an application a couple months from now. We're trying to get something done here in San Diego, and I'd be surprised if the result was anything other than that."

That noncommittal approach to the subject has to leave Bolts’ fans wondering just how sincere those words actually are. He went on to explain that: "I guess it could change, if the new mayor came into office and (says) 'I have absolutely no interest in working with you, San Diego, therefore, you can leave if you want to.' You know, we would have to look at something like that. I don't anticipate that will happen. But as we sit here today, I think it's not likely that we'll be filing any paperwork in January. I think I would be very surprised if that happened."

Now that sounds much more optimistic for San Diego fans looking to keep their team in town, but that is by no means a guarantee of any sorts that the club will wind up staying put. There is plenty of work to go on that front and a new stadium is at the forefront of the list for requirements before staying in San Diego is a definite.

As Rob pointed out earlier this week in his three and out post, the team is already making a push to avoid blackouts this season by marketing tickets. Unfortunately these marketing tactics are actually directed toward opposing, divisional opponents as ridiculous as that sounds. The idea of that really rubs plenty of diehard Bolts fans the wrong way and doesn’t bode well for the team’s future in the city if the organization is to desperate to sell tickets that they actually target opposing audiences to fill the stadium. Nothing says ‘build us a new stadium’ like filling the current venue with the colors of the week’s opponent.

The Chargers may not have as many blackouts this year with those marketing techniques, but the team could keep the building filled with its own fans if they just win more games in 2012. Nothing puts fannies in the seats like putting a good product out on the field and most believe the club has put together the right collection of talent to see more wins in the coming season.

In the end, winning cures all and a season to remember would go a long way to convince taxpaying voters that the Chargers are a worthwhile commodity for the city. It’s been nearly a decade since the doldrums of 1996-2003 and the Bolts have actually been .500 or better from the 2004 season forward. Recent flops in the postseason along with failures to even make the playoffs the last two years have put a damper on just what a remarkable turnaround the club has experienced from that 2003 year which yielded the draft’s number one pick.

Eight wins or more in each of the past eight seasons is a plaque-worthy achievement, but the Chargers need to earn more trophy-worthy accolades to really improve public sentiment. A lot hinges on the 2012 season in terms of employment by the team such as General Manager A.J. Smith and Head Coach Norv Turner, but keeping the team in the city of San Diego takes precedence of any of those other issues.

Now it’s your turn! What does Roger Goodell’s memo sent out to teams looking to relocate mean to you? Do you think Mark Fabiani is right and the Chargers won’t file the necessary paperwork to move by the deadline in early 2013? Is the approach to selling tickets that the organization is taking a plea for help or the team’s one-way ticket out of town? Do you believe that the fate of the team ultimately depends on their level of success in the 2012 season? Please fill up the comments section below with your take on this hot button topic!

July 13, 2012

5
comments:

I truly believe that the Chargers have always intended to stay in San Diego. In actuality, they should be praised for all the money they've spent and all the time they've put into it. It's mind-boggling to me that the city and their leaders can't find a way to get it done. I keep going back to the original proposal to build on the current site and develop the areas around it and without taxpayer money! And San Diego turned it down. All these years later, they are still plugging away! I was in St. Louis when the Cardinals left town. It was heart breaking. And it was because the County of St. Louis wanted the team and the city sued the county because they did not want the new stadium to be in the county. They wanted to keep it in the city. Bidwell wanted no part of that so he moved his team to Arizona! Even after that, they started building a new stadium, even without a team! If a city the size of St. Louis can get that done, then why the heck can't San Diego? I understand it's a different business climate now but at the same time, St. Louis doesn't get near the tax money from visitors and vacationers as we do here in San Diego. And with a new Mayor soon to be anointed, I can only hope for cooperation and some progress.It would be sad to be a city of this size and only have the Padres to show for it.

Nick in PB...I also think it would be unlikely that Spanos would give up so much of his interest ($$$) and revenue ($$$) potential as well as the complete control of HIS Team just to move to a new stadium that he may or will have a harder time filling every week (can you say Dallas). He and his family have strong ties to SD and while the Q is an old boat, it still floats...and I know Spanos makes $$$ ...remember the have a fairly low overhead. I don't care that they are taking the tactic of offering tickets to other Teams we play's fans. Other Teams are doing the same...if the Bolt Nation or as you like to call us the Charger Castle residents, would see a winning Team from the get go, and we are contending through the season...it will be filled. We SD peeps are spoiled with all we can do any where-any day...but give us a hot streak or potential for winning and going into the post season and it becomes impossible to get a ticket. We are a fickle bunch, but winners attract even the "sleepers" in Bolt Land. Last season (geez when was that - 3 or 4 years ago) that we were hot and looked strong and had a chance - we were selling out all the games...the same will hold true this year IF they PRODUCE! Let the Rams come back to the West...they are already used to playing in a half full stadium so that would work out fine :) RaiderHater

I am right there with you, Nick! This stadium should have been built YEARS ago! Now we are in economic upheaval, and it is going to be that much harder to get this done. Having just the Padres would SUCK! No offense to the Padres, but that would be a shame. I'm not sure what to make of Goodell's memo. It seems like there is a new memo, and a new front-runner every other week. Next thing you know, the Browns will be moving to L.A. or something. I feel that Goodell just puts these memos out to scare cities into building stadiums, so that the NFL can make money. I really don't think they care that much about what team stays, or goes... or how the fans feel about it... which also sucks. Even if they act like they care.I think Fabiani is optimistic that they won't go. But, if the taxpayers, the mayor, the city, the county, the Spanos family... or whatever other sucka... just keeps giving it the finger, I wouldn't be shocked if the Chargers "bolt" for L.A.I know this isn't a popular viewpoint.... and I REALLY hope that the Chargers stay in S.D., and can get a new stadium built... but, I wouldn't be devastated if the Chargers moved to Los Angeles. At least I could still go to the games, they would still be my team, and it would be nice to cheer them on in a stadium NOT built in Roman Times... and they used to be the L.A. Chargers back in the day, anyway. But, I live in OC now, so that is kind of a selfish stance to take, as I would have the same drive either way. At least they wouldn't be moving out of state.As for success on the field... of course that would help (or hurt) the chances of a new stadium. But, I have lived in S.D. for most of my life. The city NEVER seems to embrace anything that would make the city a really cool place to live. I know S.D. is a beautiful city, but I have noticed that it is WAY too conservative about how they approach anything in the entertainment industry. They play it safe, and just do what's obvious. I mean, you can't even get a good night club going. Everything seems to be built around that downtown Gaslamp mentality. Not to knock that lifestyle, but it seems like SD never does anything risky, or exciting. It gets pretty boring, and it gets old. Building a new stadium would be too bold of a move by them, I feel... they wouldn't dream of doing something fun like that. .... hahaha! I still love S.D., though. It's the bomb!

More like the Bomb-Diggity!! Yeah..SD is slooooow in development...but that also is why it stays so bitchin' a place. Time will tell....a winning or better yet Super Bowl slot would make moving a tough one for even Spanos to explain out...IF we can get to the promised land....IF. Please be the Kings of football this year...and the Padres, well gotta love the effort anyway...RaiderHater

Hey... Charger Castle was my comment, not Nick's, RH!!! I said it in my post in the last article.. lol. Not that it matters, but I was kinda proud of that one..I don't get many good ones off these days... hahaha!

They'll get a deal done for a new stadium. It just makes me insane to watch how long it is taking. Or that it hinges on a friggin mayoral election, where both front running candidates have openly denounced using taxpayer money to build it. Snail pace is an understatement = /

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Established in the summer of 2006, BOLTHYPE has steadily become the premier San Diego Chargers blog on the internet. By choosing to remain independent, BOLTHYPE has built up a strong following without the support of blog networks, and continues to attract new readers everyday. BOLTHYPE is dedicated to providing our readers with fresh and informative takes on their favorite NFL team, the San Diego Chargers.